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General Discussion => Science & Nature => Topic started by: Simon on January 18, 2017, 00:06

Title: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Simon on January 18, 2017, 00:06
NASA is launching a mission to a gigantic hunk of space metal which is worth so much money that if we even brought a bit back our entire world economy would collapse.

The Psyche mission is set to launch in 2023 – and will target a metal-rich asteroid known as 16 Psyche, which one scientist says could be worth £8,000 quadrillion.

http://metro.co.uk/2017/01/17/nasa-to-launch-mission-to-metal-asteroid-which-is-worth-8000000000000000000-6387242/

How can they actually put a value on this?  :dunno:
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Clive on January 18, 2017, 10:12
There will be a bit more about this mission in the next astronomy bulletin.  I'm certain it will become the plot of the next Bond movie.   ;D
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: daveeb on January 18, 2017, 10:39
Surely the metals it's made of would then become far more abundant and therefore far less valuable ? 

Also how do you cut up then tow part of a 130 mile wide rock back to earth from tens of millions of miles away  :dunno:

I'll have to monitor the Metro and the Daily Star for more valuable insights  :)x
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Clive on January 18, 2017, 11:57
Surely the metals it's made of would then become far more abundant and therefore far less valuable ? 


But that's the whole point Dave!

Also how do you cut up then tow part of a 130 mile wide rock back to earth from tens of millions of miles away  :dunno:


That shouldn't be as much of a problem as it sounds Dave.  Gravity is a very weak force and placing a thruster rocket onto the asteroid would steer it towards Earth after which it could be placed in Earth orbit and mined.  I might have a go at it this afternoon.   :o:
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: daveeb on January 18, 2017, 13:23
Quote
That shouldn't be as much of a problem as it sounds Dave.  Gravity is a very weak force and placing a thruster rocket onto the asteroid would steer it towards Earth after which it could be placed in Earth orbit and mined.  I might have a go at it this afternoon.   :o:

Yes it shouldn't take long to push it 270, 000, 000 miles back to Earth  :D

Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Clive on January 18, 2017, 15:39
I detect some skepticism but consider if you employed ten men to carry out  the job.   o:)
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Simon on January 18, 2017, 16:07
Gosh, the tea bill!  :horror:
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Clive on January 18, 2017, 20:47
B&M are selling 1100 Typhoo tea bags for £9.99  Not that I would buy them.   ;D
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Simon on January 18, 2017, 20:52
That sounds expensive!  I don't drink a lot of tea, but generally buy Yorkshire teabags.  I have no idea how much they cost.   :blush:
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Clive on January 18, 2017, 22:52
That's less than £1 per hundred bags.  But I have no idea how much ordinary tea costs either as I only buy Twinings.  But only when it's on offer and then I stock up.   :D
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Simon on January 18, 2017, 23:28
I do the same with Radox bubble bath and Douwe Egberts coffee!   :D
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Clive on January 19, 2017, 09:35
I am a serial offender.   ;D  My Twinings tea  bags normally cost £6.50 per hundred yet I can sometimes get them for £3.  Nescafe Gold £6.50 down to £4 and Bertolli spread £2.20 to £1.  I would rather go without than pay full price.   :blush:
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: daveeb on January 19, 2017, 10:35
I am a serial offender.   ;D  My Twinings tea  bags normally cost £6.50 per hundred yet I can sometimes get them for £3.  Nescafe Gold £6.50 down to £4 and Bertolli spread £2.20 to £1.  I would rather go without than pay full price.   :blush:

Me too, I have Twinings Earl Gray when it's on offer, otherwise suffer the supermarket versions. Same with Nescafe. What a couple of cheapskates  wise shoppers :thumbs:
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Simon on January 19, 2017, 11:52
Yes, I also have a pathological resistance to paying full price for certain items.   :blush:
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Clive on January 19, 2017, 12:32
It's Twinings Earl Grey that I buy too but no other brand comes even close.  I always keep a large stock just in case.   8-)  If I ever did run out I would drink coffee instead. 
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Simon on January 19, 2017, 13:12
I don't know what people see in Earl Grey tea.  When I had it, it tasted like dishwater.   :dunno:
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: daveeb on January 19, 2017, 13:21
I don't know what people see in Earl Grey tea.  When I had it, it tasted like dishwater.   :dunno:

I find it needs a bit longer than traditional tea to get enough flavour. Also some of the supermarket brand versions are a bit iffy.
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Clive on January 19, 2017, 16:42
Supermarket brands don't taste anything like Earl Grey tea.  Sometimes you can get Twinings for £3 on Amazon but Asda and Morrisons sell it at that price quite often. 
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: daveeb on January 19, 2017, 21:59
What other forum has distant asteroids and a resume of fine tea bags in one thread  :dunno: :thumbs:
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Clive on January 19, 2017, 22:49
The asteroid might be composed of Twinings Earl Grey tea bags!! ;D
Title: Re: NASA to launch mission to metal asteroid worth £8,000,000,000,000,000,000
Post by: Simon on January 19, 2017, 23:38
 :laugh: